Dreams of Winterfell
by LooBee
Summary: My version of season 8 where Gendry & Arya remember where they came from. I also like to fill in blank spaces of the story/romance between them that the show didn't capture. Changed the ending for my pleasure.
1. Chapter 1

Dreams of Winterfell

_As Gendry approached Winterfell for the first time in Jon Snow's & Queen Daenerys' procession, following in honor behind Jon Snow and the Queen, he couldn't believe how impressive the castle really was. Riding his newly acquired horse to Winterfell, seeing the castle's magnificence, Gendry's thoughts started to wander…_

***_Gendry's memories from Dragonstone***_

Gendry sat in that Dragonstone dungeon cell thinking about everything that happened to him. His wounds from the leeches were not recovering quickly. He stared off into the distance and thought about Arya.

First, he was sold to the Night's Watch by the smith he apprenticed with for years. Then, he escaped Harrinhall with Arya & Hotpie only to be captured by Brotherhood without Banners. He was sold to the Red Witch by the Brotherhood. Then he was seduced, betrayed, raped, and covered in leeches by the Red Witch. He knew she was going to kill him, before Ser Davos rescued him.

Before Davos, the only person that fought for him was that pain-in-his-ass, Arya Stark. He watched over her and she watched over him. Even after he knew he broke her little heart when he told her that she wouldn't be his family, she fought for him. When they bound him up and loaded him in that wagon, she was the only one that fought for him. Gendry smiled an ironic smile as he leaned against the cell bars. His little highborn lady fought for him fiercely. She walked right up to the Red Woman and warned her not to hurt him. Arya protected him as best she could. He realized she fought for what _he wanted_ \- to be a part of the Brotherhood - not what she wanted for him. She was selfless, trying to protect him and fight for him. Tiny little Arya tried to protect him. No one had ever done that for him.

Sitting in that cell he realized that she was his family, whether he wanted to be or not. She was smart, fierce and fearless. He didn't know how much he liked being around her until they took him away from her. He missed Arya powerfully. He ached for her. Maybe Winterfell was the best place for him to be.

She always was smarter than he was.

And after being treated like a piece of meat by the Red Witch and King Stannis, Arya was the only highborn that actually cared about him.

The wounds where the leeches were placed on his body had a pulsing pain; none more so than the wounds on his cock. The Red Witch waited until he was fully erect before she placed that thirsty leech on his penis and then didn't care what happened to his flesh as she ripped the plump thing off him.

After being raped by the Red Witch, he didn't really have any desire to seek out women for sexual pleasure. He was scared of sex, if he was really honest. Even after all this time, it hurt to think about sex, especially where the leech's scar pulsed.

As the procession towards Winterfell moved closer to the majestic castle, Gendry's thoughts still wondered.

_Winterfell is so grand. How could a highborn like Arya even think that a bastard like me could be her family?_

Then he thought of Jon Snow. And then thought about how much Arya loved her bastard brother. Traveling with Jon Snow and fighting with Jon, the Hound, and the Brotherhood helped Gendry heal a bit.

Jon was an amazing leader: calm, brave and smart in a crisis. He knew what to do and where to put his resources. Gendry knew that Jon was Arya's favorite brother, but never knew an appropriate time to bring up the fact that most of the men on the expedition beyond the wall knew his little sister.

Until Thoros of Myr opened his drunken mouth as they walked north of the wall, 'What happened to little Arya Stark, Clagane?'

Jon and Gendry both stopped short together and looked at the Hound at the same time. 'You knew my sister?' Jon exclaimed. Then Jon looked at Gendry because Gendry was just as astonished.

Gendry quietly said, 'we all knew Arya. Before she died at the Red Wedding.' He thought for sure that Arya died in the Red Wedding, until the Hound told him otherwise.

Both the Hound and Jon said at the same time, 'She's not dead.'

'She's at Winterfell,' Jon said as a matter of fact. Gendry's face lit up with a smile that confused Jon. Jon looked at Gendry with the fierceness of a big brother and said, 'How do you know my little sister?'

'It's a long story,' Gendry started, 'but I met her right after your father was executed when I was sold to the Night's Watch and she was with the Night's Watch recruits hiding as a boy to get to you at Castle Black.'

'Arya was hiding as a boy?' Before Jon could contemplate what Gendry revealed, they were interrupted by fierce winter storm and an undead polar bear. Arya's name did not come up again.

_Arya is at Winterfell. It's been five years since we've seen each other. I wonder if even she remembers me._

There was so much to do once they arrived at Winterfell. The procession of the Queen's armies and dragons were impressive. However, the dragonglass was not going to turn into weapons on its own. Gendry knew what to do and was given a team of men and nice warm rooms of his own near the forge. He smiled; knowing that Jon Snow made sure Gendry was taken care of. If it weren't for Gendry's fast running, Deanerys wouldn't have save them beyond the wall.

Gendry got right to work, making sure the forge knew what to make and how to make the dragonglass weapons. He got lost in the work and only thought of Arya that first night when he didn't see her.

***_Arya***_

_Gendry is here. He survived the Red Witch! And I'm so different now…he won't know me. I'm No One. He probably won't even like me._

Arya drew the sketch of the weapon she wanted to fight the dead after seeing Jon at the Godswood tree. Oh, how she loved her brother and was so happy to see him. He wasn't very forthcoming about the dead army, only that they could be killed with valerian steel and dragonglass. She had the valerian steel weapon. Arya knew she needed a dragonglass weapon. This gave her a perfect reason to journey down to the forge and reacquaint herself with her childhood friend and protector.

And the love of her life.

To the astonishment of the household staff, Arya bathed that morning. She took special care of her skin with some of the essential oils she filched from Sansa. There was one that had a hint of jasmine that reminded Arya of the forests in her travels with Gendry. Without thinking about it, she put the oil on her naked flesh before carefully dressing in her fine leathers. Sansa made her cloak and it was lovely and functional. Her leathers and cotton tunic were soft and richly dressed. Her boots and kid gloves were form fitting and above all, practical. She had to give Sansa credit where credit was due – her sewing skills were second to none. Sansa was not stingy and shared her talents with her family by making them all their fine clothes.

Arya made her way down to the forge on the second day Gendry was there. As quiet as a cat, she watched the Hound try to make a fool of her friend.

'Leave him be,' she said quietly but with the authority of a Stark.

Gendry froze when he saw her. This was not the little girl who fought the Red Witch! This was not the Arya he knew in the same old clothes, smelling as horrible as he did years ago! He looked her up and down in her fine leathers and her very feminine figure. _Wow._

Gendry barely heard the exchange between the Hound and Arya. He just noticed that she was not a temperamental angry young girl, just a quiet and determined woman.

_Gendry looks so good. _Arya's heart was pounding, but her outward appearance was calm and collected as the faceless men trained her to be. 'That's a nice ax you made for him,' she complemented. 'You've gotten better.'

There was so much between them. So much to say! So much that happened! He stepped forward closing the space between them and almost shuffled his feet as she gave him that compliment. That compliment meant a lot. Gendry could not hide his awkwardness like Arya could. He was tongue-tied and twisted. 'Thanks,' he stammered, 'So have you.' His heart was pounding and he tried to recover, 'I mean. You. Look. Good.'

Arya was fighting her own feelings of awkwardness and kept a straight face and said almost too fast, 'So do you.'

Gendry realized he wasn't used to speaking with women, let alone a highborn lady, even though he knew it was Arya. So he could only think to get back to work. If he was working he could talk to her. So off he went, back to his workbench. 'Winterfell isn't a bad place to grow up if you don't mind the cold.'

Arya followed her friend, like she always did what she was smaller. 'Stay close to that forge then,' she said slyly.

'Is that a command, Lady Stark?' Gendry laughed at the ease with which they could get back to their playful banter with each other. His smile was genuine.

'Don't call me that,' she said automatically with firmness.

'As you wish, milady,' he teased with a bright smile that lit up his blue eyes. _Seven gods she smelled good._

Arya couldn't help but laugh at their past that broke her earnest countenance and she caught herself smiling – almost laughing.

'Here's my wish,' she presented her sketch to him with the design of the dragon glass weapon she wanted.

Before they both knew it, they were arguing. He forgot that she was a highborn and demanded answers to his questions. When she presented her dagger to him and he at once recognized valerian steel, Gendry had to remind himself and her who she was.

'I always knew you were just another rich girl,' he flirted, determined to goad her a little. Gendry never flirted. It thrilled him that he could with her.

Arya was clever and teased right back, 'You don't know any other rich girls.'

And she walked away. Gendry was in stunned silence watching her leave the forge, but smiled when she turned around with that wicked little smile on her face. _Seven hells, she was fun! _Smiling for the rest of the day, making ax after ax, arrowhead after arrowhead, spear after spear of dragon glass, Gendry realized he didn't talk to many women at all. And when he did, they weren't as fun as Arya.


	2. Chapter 2

_a/n - I'd like to thank all those who made YouTube clips of Arya+Gendry; especially TheSecretRebelGirl's videos. They kept me going as I wrote this._

**Chapter 2**

~~ooooooo~~

Gendry didn't see Arya for the next two days. But she showed up on the third day, first thing in the morning.

Gendry had gotten used to the cold weather and the heat of the forge, so he had removed the leather coat he was wearing on their previous encounter. His tunic was untied and his upper chest was laid bear.

Arya quietly entered the forge and watched her favorite smith's apprentice in action. She admired the glistening of sweat on his chest and remembered that warm day in Harrinhall when he was shirtless. Her heart beat a little faster and her stomach dropped as she watched her attractive smith's apprentice working.

He knew she was there the moment she glided in. Gendry didn't like being watched. He'd been working hard for three days straight without much of a break. He was tired. He waited for her to say something. Arya just stared at him. He didn't like that and finally looked up snapped at her, 'Don't you have something better to do?'

His rudeness jolted Arya out of her fantasy. 'Have you made my weapon yet?' she snapped back.

They both walked towards each other. 'Just as soon as I'm done makin' a few thousand of these.'

Showing Arya his handy work proudly, she inspected the ax, impressed by the fast work that he and his crew has made. 'You should make mine first and make sure it's stronger than this.'

Gendry wasn't having any of it. With all his strength, he slammed the ax's blade into the tree trunk and declared, 'It's strong enough.'

His power turned Arya's stomach to jelly and she almost giggled, but all she revealed was a slight smile and the arch of her brow. She remembered that she could really irritate him. Gendry wasn't going to take any of her shit. She admired that and the strength of Gendry's ax sent quivers down her spine. _Seven heavens and hells she loved teasing him._

Gendry was annoyed and excited at the same time. He's never been so rude to a lady before! But Arya just brings it out of him! He's never been so excited to be around a lady before. And Arya's elegance as a woman became more potent to him. _Seven hells, she still smells good. _He's never cared about someone so much.

And he couldn't stop arguing with her.

Gendry wanted to make sure she was protected. 'It's going to be safer down in the crypts, you know.'

Arya wasn't having it. 'Are you going down in the crypts?'

'No, but –'

'You're a fighter.'

'I've done my share.'

'You fought them?'

'I did. Some of them.

'How many?'

'A few. That was enough.'

'What are they like?'

'Bad.' He looked at her with no words in his vocabulary to explain to her what he experienced. 'Really bad.'

Arya was as frustrated as he was. She couldn't get a straight answer out of the one person she thought she could. 'Really bad?'

He could only see that little girl that was defiant and stupid and not very experienced in the ways for fighting. He remembered her challenging Thoros of Myr to a sword fight and losing miserably. He was trying to protect that girl from losing to death. He didn't want to see his Arya become death.

'I know you aren't afraid of rapers or murders, but this is death, all right? They are death,' Gendry said earnestly like he was talking to Arya the child.

Arya needed to disabuse him of his notions of her still as child. Arya - the woman - had studied with the Faceless Men. Arya - the woman - beat Lady Breanne. Arya Stark was a warrior woman that knew no peer.

Everything stilled in Arya. Arya looked at Gendry's handsome face, but was aware of everything and everyone around them. As soon as Gendry said the word death, her whole body became still and focused, like the weapon she had trained to become. She needed to show him what she had turned out to be. She could show him what she now knew. There were hundreds of spearheads in front of them, but she picked the one under his hand to be close to him. And threw one after each sentence into the post just beyond his head.

'I know death.' THWACK.

That got his attention. He looked at the post and the clear, sharp place it landed.

'It's got many faces.' THWACK.

After that one landed in a clearly specific spot, he looked at back Arya like he had never laid eyes on her before. _What happened to Arya?_

'I look forward to seeing this one.' THWACK.

The cluster of spearheads was so perfectly formed on the post behind his head. Gendry had never seen anything like it. _What happened to Arya?_

'My weapon?'

'I'll get right on it.' Gendry was set straight. Gendry was speechless. He watched her leave. There was no flirtation, no turning back. He saw his notion of Arya - a little girl with big talk, big dreams, big revenge and weak fighting skills come into the forge - and he watched a warrior weapon named Arya leaving the forge, her hands balled up in fists. His notion of Arya was shattered in pieces on the ground. He looked back at the perfectly clustered formation of dragonglass knives in the post and wondered: _what had Arya been through? _He laughed a confused laugh of wonder.

He pulled the sketch from his pocket and went to gather the elements he needed to start working on Arya's weapon.

It didn't take Gendry long to make the split-apart duel sword. He had studied her sketch each night before he fell asleep. He knew how to fashion the quick screw latch. He actually found more pleasure in making her weapon than he did making any of the thousand of weapons he'd been making.

That afternoon, Jon Snow had come down to the forge before the war counsel meeting. Jon brought Tormund and some of the other free folk who had just arrived. Jon was impressed with the amount of quality work Gendry had done with his team in the last few days with all the dragonglass. The free folk were too. They all got the weapons they wanted. Tormund didn't think Gendry was as stupid as he first thought.

Jon commented the unique weapon Gendry was making. 'What is this?' Jon asked. 'It's different that the others.'

Gendry said, 'Arya requested I make this for her.'

'Arya?' He picked it up. It was missing the dragonglass on one end. 'Leave it to my sister to come up with something like this.'

Jon got interrupted by some of the other smiths and left Gendry to give complements to them. Tormund admired the cluster of three spearheads in the post and asked Gendry who shot those.

'Jon's sister, Arya,' Gendry said softly, almost like a love poem.

Tormund looked at the cluster of dragonglass spearheads and then at Gendry with a knowing smile. 'Like I said, fuckin' is the best thing to keep you warm in the north.' He slapped Gendry on the back as the poor lad turned red. Gendry shot a quick look at Jon Snow to make sure he was out of earshot. Then let out his breath. Tormund just laughed.

Gendry wouldn't let anyone touch those three spearheads in the post. Now he was embarrassed that he didn't take them down. But he still wouldn't let anyone touch them.

After finishing Arya's weapon, Gendry asked the scullery maid where he could gather water for a bath. She took that as an order and before he knew it, Gendry had a small tub in his room filled with hot water. He had clean clothes in his room after work in the forge. He could really get used to this highborn lifestyle! People doing his bidding! But tonight he had a purpose. As he bathed and got dressed in his best clean clothes, he went looking for that little pain-in-his-ass that he couldn't get out of his thoughts.

Arya left the war counsel meeting worried and determined. That wilding, Tormund, smiled at her in a weird way during the war counsel meeting, when she met him…

Arya thought Jon was such an excellent leader. His command was palpable and everyone wanted to follow him. But the Night King and the Army of the Dead were daunting. She quickly had something to eat by herself in her room, but needed to roam about the castle grounds. She couldn't rest. She couldn't stop thinking about Gendry. No matter how much she meditated as a faceless man.

She sat with the Hound and Beric Dondarrion. She couldn't sit with those old shits. Not on their last night. She had to roam. She wanted to find Gendry, but didn't know how. She wanted to… but she didn't know how.

All Arya knew to do was practice with her weapons. She was always practicing since she'd been little. She found solace in practicing since she'd been alone most of her life. She found one of her practice areas, the grain storage area, to practice shooting arrows. Maybe she'd be able to burn off this energy...and not think about Gendry… and not think about dying.

~~~ooooooo~~~~~

Gendry felt clean and…Hopeful? Confident? Optimistic?

Later that night, Gendry walked out of his chambers freshly bathed and in his most fine clothes, with Arya's freshly made weapon. He could hear the arrows being shot into the post down the corridor in the storage area. He quietly walked over to the storage area's gate and stood in the darkness in awe of Arya. Over and over she shot her arrows into the bulls eye. He remembered Anguy from the Brotherhood teaching her archery techniques just before Gendry was sold to the Red Witch. Now her accuracy was scary and admirable and mysterious. His idea of her had been shifting like an earthquake. Arya had turned into a beautiful, confident warrior-woman and so different from the feisty, hot-tempered girl he was separated from all those years ago. _What had Arya been through? _

Arya turned when Gendry opened the gate. She swallowed hard. Her demeanor was all business. She couldn't let on that her heart skipped a beat and her stomach dropped and a warm pool of goo settled between her legs. _Seven hells, he looks good._ She realized she had never really seen him cleaned up and in finery before.

'Is that for me?' All business, she reminded herself.

Gendry was a simple man. He had no words. He just handed the weapon to her. He wanted his handiwork to speak for itself.

She took it and then looked up at him with a kind smile in her eyes like he just handed her the best nameday present. She inspected it and twirled it around with expert confidence and skill and then really smiled.

'This'll work,' she complimented as she practiced with it.

He realized making the weapon for her was a gesture of love and the memory of her proposal to him came rushing out of his mouth. 'Last time you saw me you wanted me to come to Winterfell. I took the long road, but…'

It was the only way he could say that he wanted to be her family. But he knew he had no right to ask, so he swallowed the rest of the sentence.

The rush of memories flooded Arya as she twirled her new weapon around, getting a feel for it. He broke Arya's heart the night before he was sold to the Red Witch. But she realized what happened all those years ago in the Brotherhood's cave was necessary for her growth as a woman and a warrior. But as she looked at the man standing before her, she realized there was so much more to their relationship than heartbreak and the protection they gave each other back then.

Curious and starting to understand what he just stated, she asked, 'what did the Red Woman want with you?'

_Seven hells, that memory!_ He walked away from her and muttered, 'She wanted my blood…some kind of spell.'

Practicing with her new weapon, even more curious, but still acting all business, 'Why your blood?'

He sighed and looked at her and revealed, 'I'm Robert Baratheon's bastard.'

That stopped Arya in her tracks and she lost all sense of façade and showed her true surprise. It was time to stop being casual about this.

He continued with a tired voice, 'I didn't know until she told me.' Then he knew he had to share it all with her. 'She tied me up, stripped me down and put leeches all over me.'

She knew that Red Witch had hurt him. Arya knew right then that she had to ask him to make love with her. She knew she had to try. Her Gendry was so much more than just her childhood companion and protector and teenage infatuation.

Arya realized he needed her as much as she needed him.

'Was that your first time?' Arya asked. Her tone was as methodical as her sword fights. Her questions pierced her target. With confidence she crossed him to set down her new weapon to get down to business.

Gendry was still oblivious and sharing honestly, 'Yeah, that was the first time I'd ever had leeches all over my cock.'

'Your first time with a woman?'

Gendry was shocked at the turn the conversation took. 'What?' He moved over to where she was, absolutely flummoxed by her audacity. He needed to clarify that even though there was "technically" sex involved, the Red Witch raped him. He was ready to argue with her. 'I - I – I wasn't **with** her.'

Arya smoothly took off her gloves and continued her inquisition. 'Were you with other girls? Before that in King's Landing? Or After?'

Gendry didn't know how to answer her. He didn't want to tell her the truth: that he was probably about 5 or 6 years older than her and had never really had sex besides that horrible experience with the Red Witch. He didn't want her to know how lonely he really was. He didn't want her to know how the Red Woman had scared him away from women.

Arya prodded, 'You don't remember?'

He didn't want her to know that Arya was the only woman with whom he really could talk to. So he lied. 'Yes I was.'

Her gloves were off and the interrogation continued, 'One? Two? Twenty?'

_Twenty?! Seven hells, she frustrated him beyond reason!_ 'I didn't keep count!' he said with annoyance.

Arya knew better. 'Yes you did.'

Gendry sighed in utter frustration and came up with a number that seemed decent. 'Three.'

Arya positioned herself like she was about to strike him in battle. It was all she knew to do. She knew she had to try. With more confidence in her stance and demeanor than she had in her heart, she launched her attack. Right then she realized she was vulnerable and she needed him.

'We're probably going to die soon,' she said quietly as she looked up at him. She swallowed, 'I want to know what it's like before that happens.'

His guard came down. His sky blue eyes melted and poured into her face as he was about to confess his own virginity. 'Arya, I –'

She didn't let him finish. She awkwardly slammed her lips against his. They paused, looked at each other then they kissed again, softer but with more passion, then again. Then the clothes started to come off.

Neither realized how much they couldn't keep their hands off each other.

Neither realized how passionate their kisses would feel and did feel. They sizzled like lightning.

Neither could pull each other's clothes off fast enough as they chuckled between kisses.

Arya - always impatient - pushed Gendry down into the soft piles of sacks of grain. She needed to get her clothes off quickly because she just couldn't wait.

Gendry was dumbfounded at her beauty and lust. He just stared up at Arya's sweet little body that she kept hidden beneath her leathers. He admired her breasts that she smashed down under her fine leather coat. Then he saw the scars on her mid-section. The scars were all over her belly. _What had Arya been through? _

Arya was having none of it. 'I'm not the Red Woman.' She declared with cheekiness as she admired the pitched tent in his trousers. 'Take your own bloody pants off.'

Realizing his dreadful mistake, Gendry couldn't get them off fast enough. Arya couldn't get hers off fast enough either. She crawled on top of him so they could continue kissing. Their hands explored each other's bodies, caressed each other's arms and necks and backs and chests.

Gendry knew enough to make sure Arya was wet before even trying to enter her. His fingers made her moan into his neck as she undulated.

'Oh, Gendry,' she whispered. 'Please.'

He gently turned them over so he was on top and carefully, slowly, gently entered her as they looked into each other's eyes. Her hands were on his shoulders, and then her hands caressed his head, bringing his lips to hers again and again. Arya couldn't get enough of his kisses. She wanted to hurry, but he slowed it down.

Even though she was slick, it hurt. She winced and bit her bottom lip. Gendry kept going, he couldn't stop. He caressed her nipples and kissed her neck. She wrapped her legs around him and kissed him and they moved as one. It didn't take long for the pain to subside and the pleasure to set in motion.

And Gendry wanted it to last. He didn't know if this would be the one and only time before they died to feel real sexual pleasure. His breathing was labored; he kept it going for as long as he could. When he felt Arya convulse and shiver with a gasp and a moan, he finally was able to release.

They were both breathing hard and touched foreheads. He kissed her softly, 'thank you, Arya.'

He gently moved off of her and found his cloak on the floor. He brought it up to cover them both up. He lay next to her, their legs touching; he looked up at the ceiling and fell fast asleep. The exhaustion from working in the forge for so long and so hard – and this wonderful experience - Gendry was finally able to rest.

Arya, on the other hand, was confused. She turned away and stared into the distance. She felt so amazing, so wonderful, so loved, so cared for she wanted to cry. But she was a warrior! It made her angry that her whole worldview was shifting… She was a warrior! She fell asleep with that mantra in her head- along with her kill list. But the memories of Gendry's kisses and caresses got in the way. Every time she started her kill list, the memory of Gendry's kiss or caress frustrated the thought. Arya sighed and drifted off to sleep, tucking her hand in Gendry's beneath his cloak.

The horn blew.

They had managed to get a couple of hours of sleep in on the sacks of grain. Arya woke up with her cheek on Gendry's chest. They were wrapped around each other. Her hand was draped around his torso. Gendry had wrapped his arms around her body and her leg hung over his hip. The first horn startled them awake in each other's arms. They looked at each other in confusion and then realization and a chuckle.

The horn blew a second time.

They bolted up and quickly got dressed without much discussion.

The horn blew a third time. They froze and looked at each other with a realization that the Long Night was about to begin… And they may never see each other again.

They were about to go their separate ways, but looked back at each other and came together and kissed one last time. 'Thank you for my weapon,' Arya whispered with the love she felt but couldn't say.

'Thank you for everything, Arya,' Gendry said softly.

Dressed and ready to go to their respective fighting positions, they kissed one more time. And without speaking they turned and left each other...probably forever.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

~~~ooooooo~~~

The fight was chaotic and overwhelming. It never ended. The dead just kept coming. And then it just stopped. All the dead froze and collapsed. The light from the pre-dawn was coming up to light the chaos surrounding them.

Gendry looked up from the pile he stood on top of, completely astonished that he survived! He looked around and saw a bloody Tormund on another pile of bodies and near them, Ser Brienne, Ser Jamie & Podrick Payne up against a wall on top of more bodies. Sam Tarley was crawling out from under some others.

Gendry saw the remains of the Night King's dragon and the silhouette of Jon Snow behind a crumbling wall just staring at it.

Gendry climbed off of the bodies, both the undead and freshly dead. He had some scratches and a lot of bruises but no injuries. Gendry watched Jon Snow go towards the Godswood. Gendry decided to follow him. He had to find Arya and didn't know where to start.

Behind Jon Snow, Tormund and Gendry and Sam Tarley followed their leader and stopped when he stopped. They all observed the scene before them.

The dead collapsed all around. Theon Greyjoy among them. Bran was unharmed under the Godswood tree. Arya knelt near him, touching his knee. Her forehead was bloody. One had rested on Bran's knee, the other held her dagger and she was trembling and panting. Bran's hand was resting on Arya's head as Bran had that far-away look in his eyes.

Jon rushed to his siblings. He kissed Bran's forehead like he always had and carefully brought Arya up into the folds of an embrace. Arya dutifully sheathed her dagger and hugged Jon back.

Gendry stood just a few feet away, watching the touching exchange as Arya shook and softly wept into her brother's shoulder and quietly said, 'I did it, Jon. I killed the Night King.'

Jon put her at arms length so he could look at her with disbelief, surprise, pride and amazement. Then pulled her back into an embrace.

Bran piped up in his unvarying quality, 'Arya is the Night King Slayer. The Dawn Bringer. And a very clever one, at that.'

Just then, Arya noticed Gendry standing behind Jon. With a moan of happiness she broke away from Jon and in a soft breath, like she just found home, 'Gendry.' And went right to him, Arya leaned into Gendry's chest and practically fell into him.

Gendry caught her before she collapsed and he whispered, 'we're alive. We survived.' Gendry was tender with her. He kneeled down with her in his arms as he realized that the bloody cut and swelling mass on her head was finally catching up to her. Gendry kept her in his protective arms and kissed her lips gently. They clung to each other. 'Oh Arya,' he kept saying over and over.

Arya closed her eyes for the first time, fully trusting the man holding her would take care of her.

Jon was confused, but oh, so tired. Arya and Gendry? He didn't like seeing his favorite little sister _**kissing a man**_. He'd deal with them later.

Right then Sansa and Tyrion appeared with others from the crypt. They had been traumatized, but were ready to give aid to the injured and provide a little food and drink. Sansa took control of the situation and gathered the injured down in the crypt, where only a few undead needed to be cleaned up. The women and older people gave comfort to the injured in a place where they didn't have to see a lot of dead bodies.

Jon was so proud of his sister. No. His cousin. Sansa was his cousin. And she was a General if he ever saw one. She led everyone who could to help those in need. As the sun came up, it showed the real devastation of the Long Night at Winterfell. Tyrion was at her side, helping guide the people that were able to help move bodies and clean up what could be cleaned up quickly. Jon noticed that Tyrion and Sansa made a good team.

Jon looked at his siblings/cousins before him. They were amazing people: proud, honorable and amazingly talented.

Arya was lifted and taken away by Gendry to her room to get the wound on her head examined. Once the maeaster had Arya well in hand, Sansa shooed Gendry away as Tormund and Davos were looking for him to ask for his help in the clean up and creating the funeral pyres.

The day was filled with cleaning the Winterfell land and courtyard as best the living could, so they could actually live. Those that weren't injured were recruited to build funeral pyres and carry the dead to the funeral pyres. It was a massive undertaking. And then they rested that night. Everyone was just exhausted. Gendry fell onto his humble bed and dreamt of Arya. He didn't have the energy to go to her.

Neither did Arya. Sansa made sure she rested until the funeral ceremony, which was a full day after the Long Night's War. The maeaster said the Arya needed to rest after hitting her head and Sansa was going to make sure that happened; at least for a day. No one could keep Arya down for longer than that.

Everyone else worked that day and slept that night. Then the next day, the living could observe and honor the funeral ceremony. Sansa made sure there was a feast waiting for everyone when they came back from the funeral.

Gendry stood with the Hound and admired the Starks. They were an impressive family. They were so dignified and honorable. Jon Snow's eulogy was gracious and venerated to even the lowliest fighter who sacrificed their life. They risked their home to save the North. They risked their home to save the seven kingdoms! Gendry looked at Arya and then looked up at the sky as it filled with smoke. _I'm a lowly bastard blacksmith. She is a highborn lady. I'm not worthy of her. But I love her so. _

_I could be her family._

As the living flowed back into Winterfell for food and drink and more rest, Arya had a stream of admirers around her. Gendry couldn't get close. His fellow smiths gathered together for pitchers of ale as they cleaned up the Winterfell forge.

Arya escaped to her room. She didn't like being so popular. She didn't like being so admired and "known". She was so used to being a faceless man that her newfound fame surprised her and disturbed her.

At the feast, Gendry kept looking up at the Stark table for Arya. She wasn't there with her family. _I can be your family._ Gendry couldn't stop thinking about her. Did she really mean that, all those years ago? Does she still feel that way? Could he be worthy of her? He kept looking around until he couldn't help it and looked at the Hound.

He finally gave up and asked the Hound - as casually as he could, 'Have you seen Arya?'

Sandor's stink eye was even worse than Gendry could have imagined. He had to torment the lad. Gendry and Arya were good for each other; even the Hound could see that. 'You can still smell the burning bodies and that's where your head is at?'

Gendry didn't want to come across as love-struck and defensively said, 'I just want to thank her-'

'I'm sure you do,' Sandor interrupted.

'It's not about that,' Gendry said with embarrassment and shame.

'Of course it's about that, you twat,' Sandor smiled as much as Sandor could smile and let him off the hook as much as the Hound could. 'Why shouldn't it be? The dead are dead. You're not.'

Gendry let out his breath; frustrated that everyone he knew busted his chops. Was the Hound playing matchmaker? Realizing what Sandor was really saying, he needed to find her. He got up to look for her. And in doing that, he got in the eye line of Queen Deanerys. When he heard the Queen say his name, his heart lodged in his throat and his stomach dropped to his balls.

'Yes, your Grace,' he said with a nervous breath.

'You are Robert Baratheon's son, correct?'

This information wasn't publicly known, but it wasn't a secret either. But now it was definitely public.

~~~ooooooo~~~

In the matter of minutes, Gendry's life had changed. _Lord Gendry Baratheon of Storm's End._ He still only thought of Arya. He had to find her.

~~~ooooooo~~~

In the matter of seconds, Gendry's life had changed. _Lord Gendry Baratheon of Storm's End _had something to offer her and Arya rejected all he had to offer.

'I'm not a lady,' she said as gently as possible. 'That's not me.'

He looked at her as his heart shattered into a million pieces as he whispered, 'you are my only family.' And Gendry walked away. He didn't know what to do or say. Another highborn used him and left him to rot.

Arya heard him whisper that and started to tear up, but didn't run after him. Instead, she continued to practice her archery. Once he was gone she dropped her bow, braced her hands against the boxes, hung her head and tried to breathe. Arya ran back to her room to pack. She had to finish her mission. She had to the last person on her list. She had to kill Cersi.

Gendry stumbled away, leaving a cold-blooded Arya. He grabbed a deerskin bota bag of wine from the festivities and wondered the castle grounds. He wanted to go someplace high - high up to one of the parapets to drink alone. Ser Davos caught a glimpse of him leaving the great hall with that flask and was curious as to why his new Lord looked so glum.

He found Gendry slide down the wall and sit in a quiet place in one of the high parapets where the archers were during the fight.

Ser Davos appeared out of the shadows with a grin on his face, 'This is where I saw Lady Arya battle a dozen or so wytes single handedly with that weapon you made her. She unhooked that thing then reattached it and unhook again and again, killing so many of them. It was an amazing sight.'

Gendry groaned and looked up at Ser Davos with red eyes as though he had been crying. 'Do we have to talk about Arya? And for the record, she doesn't like being called a "lady."'

Davos sat down next to his friend that was almost like a son to him and took the bota bag from him and drank some of the wine. 'I did not realize there was a connection between the two of you.' Ser Davos was gentle, but knew this poor sod needed to talk and prodded him, 'How do you know her, Gendry?'

Gendry just moaned and put his face in his palms. He pulled a draft off the bota bag. 'The day Ned Stark was executed, I was sold to the Night's Watch. Arya was also there, disguised as boy named Arry. She was a tiny little thing. I knew right away she was a girl, but Yorren, the Night's Watchman was so protective of her. I found out later that he was the one that made sure she didn't see her father's execution. That he was the one that cut her hair and told her to act like a boy. At the time, I didn't know that Master Mott was trying to protect me by selling me to the Night's Watch because all of Robert Baratheon's bastards were being killed by Gold Coats by order of Cersi Lannister in King's Landing. Yorren figured out that I was one of Robert's bastards and protected me as well. All I knew was that Arya and I ended up looking out for each other.'

Gendry paused and smiled. 'She was so smart. She was a pain in my ass, but always smarter than any of us. And brave. She was always so brave. Ready to start a fight with anyone who was going to hurt one of her people.'

Ser Davos quietly said, 'Anyone who was part of her wolf pack.' He chuckled. 'Jon Snow is the same way.'

Gendry murmured his agreement. 'We had been through so much together. We had seen so much killing and torture together. Before I was sold to the Red Witch,' Gendry cringed, 'Arya wanted me to come to Winterfell with her and be her family.' He paused and lifted his head to the sky leaning it back against the wall. 'I was an idiot and rejected her offer and told her that I wouldn't be her family, that she would be "my lady."'

Davos chuckled, 'Ah, the foolishness of youth.'

'Coming here - after all those years and seeing her as a grown woman - feeling what I feel for her,' Gendry stopped in frustration. 'Dammit! After I was named Lord Baratheon, I thought I finally could offer her something and I got down on one knee and proposed to her!'

Davos stared at him in shock. 'Do you know how many marriage proposals that poor girl is going to get after slaying the Night King?'

'She's not going to accept ANY of them,' Gendry groaned. 'She keeps saying she's not a "lady". So she can't marry me. Well I'm not a Lord! I just love her!' Gendry put his face back in his palms. His eyes stung with tears.

Davos patted his back with sympathy. 'Did she laugh in your face when you asked her?'

'No.' Gendry sighed, trying to compose himself. 'She got down on her knees with me and kissed me.' He smiled remembering the pleasant feeling of her gentle kisses. 'She said I'd make a wonderful lord and that any lady would be lucky to have me. But she's not a lady. That's not her.'

'Well as rejections go,' Davos commented, 'that was a pretty good one. But it really wasn't a rejection was it?'

'Wha'?'

'She just doesn't want to be a lady. She didn't say she doesn't want to be with you. Try a different tactic, son.' Davos got up with a groan from old age. He looked down at his broken-hearted friend and said with all his wisdom, 'Give her some time, Lord Gendry Baratheon of Storm's End. Ask her in a different way. It seems that she loves you too.'

Gendry went back to his chambers that night a little heart-broken, but a little more hopeful. Ser Davos was indeed a great friend to him. He was going to try again tomorrow.

~~~ooooooo~~~

She was gone.

At breakfast, Bran informed Gendry and Davos that Arya had already left for King's Landing. Gendry's heart was breaking and it showed on his face.

Bran looked intensely at Gendry and said quietly, 'Arya needs some time and space. Stay. Help us. Then go to help Jon.'

Gendry was a lost soul. He didn't know what to do next. He really meant it when he told Arya that he couldn't be a lord without her. Bran's enigmatic expression made Gendry follow his instructions. He helped repair Winterfell's ironworks, gates and other parts of the castle that was woefully in need of repairs. Gendry knew how to do that. Winterfell felt like a place he could call home, even though his heart was broken.

~~~ooooooo~~~


	4. Chapter 4

_a/n - I had to give Sansa & Tyrion a little attention. I thought their characters deserved just a bit more love in their story. This is my attempt at bringing some of that into my story. _

**Chapter 4**

~~~ooooooo~~~

Sansa had to say goodbye to Tyrion. She didn't like the fact that he was beholden to the Dragon Queen. She really didn't want to see him go. He really was the best of all the men she married. It was so ironic to her that the Lannister she loved and trusted was the Imp. He was the one person that she wanted to talk to and be with more than any other person. She felt relieved when she told him about Jon's true heritage. She knew she could trust him. She knew he would never harm her or her brother.

Sansa walked Tyrion and Vyras to their carriage. She really didn't want him to leave. He climbed into the carriage so he was about her height. Tyrion kissed her hand again, as he had in the crypt. He held her hand tightly, kissed her hand and with intensity and looked at her with longing.

Sansa embraced him for the first time. She whispered in his ear, 'your watch is ended.' Sansa coyly looked at him with a little fear and a little flirtation – not knowing how Tyrion would take that statement.

Tyrion - surprised she remember that drunken declaration from their wedding night - looked at Sansa with a startled smile and said with a happy ironic whine, 'and I'm about to leave! Our timing has always been atrocious, milady.' He joked but his eyes were sad yet hopeful for the first time since their marriage. He left with a promise to visit the Lady of Winterfell again very soon.

'I'm holding you to that promise,' Sansa whispered and kissed him chastely on the lips. It was the first kiss Sansa had ever initiated. The feeling lingered on her lips for the rest of the day. It lingered on Tyrion's lips for the rest of the day as well. For a man as worldly as Tyrion, he felt like a schoolboy after his first kiss.

They both touched their lips throughout the day remembering the chaste kiss and the promise it held.

~~~ooooooo~~~

Jon and Deanerys left with their armies and dragons.

Arya and the Hound disappeared to King's Landing a week before them.

Now that Gendry was elevated to a Lord, he was reluctant to leave Winterfell. Jon, Sansa and Bran realized he needed to stay, so they invited Gendry to stay to help the Starks rebuild Winterfell as a personal favor to Jon Snow. Gendry could not refuse.

He was becoming more familiar with Arya's family. Sansa made sure Gendry was treated as an honored guest. Jon wanted to make sure of that. He was moved to a new guest room closer to the family rooms. Sansa made sure Gendry ate with the family. Sansa made sure Gendry sat with Bran and her at the fire after dinner to talk. After seeing him kiss Arya, Sansa was very curious about this man. And the more Sansa learned of Gendry, the more she liked the man and thought he was perfect for her little sister.

Sansa and Bran got to know more about Gendry and Arya's adventures after their father's death.

This helped Bran focus the 3-eyed raven on the past. He was able to fill in details that neither Sansa nor Gendry knew about. How Arya just missed being killed in the Red Wedding. How the Hound protected her. How Arya got the scars on her midsection, and how she became such a fierce warrior as a faceless man. And how Arya avenged Rob & mother's murders by killing Walter Frey and the House Frey as a faceless man. Bran also knew that those injuries would always prevent Arya from having children.

These fireside chats really helped Sansa understand Bran's gifts as the 3-eyed raven. She was able to ask Bran about his escape from Winterfell and his journey north of the wall. He was reluctant to talk about it, but Sansa was able to ask specific questions. She was then able to send a raven to Meera Reed and invite her back to Winterfell for a proper visit, knowing what she had done for her brother.

When Gendry wasn't with them, Bran told Sansa about Gendry's history as a bastard living in Flea Bottom in King's Landing. How their father visited Gendry before Ned was killed. And how Gendry was tortured under the Red Woman's spell for Stannis Baratheon in his quest for the Iron Throne. It made Sansa more determined to get Arya and Gendry together.

On one of these evenings of story telling, sitting by the fire with Bran and Sansa, Gendry told them about the Brotherhood Without Banners capturing them after he & Arya escaped Harrinhall.

'I could be your family,' Bran said out of the blue.

Sansa and Gendry looked up at Bran at the same time. Gendry swallowed and whispered, 'What did you say?'

Bran said, 'That is was Arya said to you, the day before the Red Woman bought you from the Brotherhood Without Banners. "I could be your family." That was Arya's way of confessing her love for you.'

Gendry looked back into the fire, trying hard not to tear up and said with ironic rejection, 'She has obviously changed her mind.'

Bran looked at Gendry and smiled. 'No she hasn't. She's trapped. Afraid and trapped in the only way she's known how to survive.' Bran looked into the fire with that faraway stare they had gotten used to and continued, 'Gendry, you said you never had a family, but Arya is your family and now, so are we. You became part of the Stark pack the day you and Arya met.' He paused and looked at Sansa. 'Arya just doesn't know it yet.'

Sansa smiled and knew what to do. 'Lord Gendry, you did everything right by Arya. We know it. Jon knows it. Even Arya knows it. You are an honorable man. And you obviously love my sister. Our stupid sister doesn't see that.' Sansa gave a cheeky smile and in her haughty way said, 'Lord Gendry, if my sister doesn't come around, I know just what to do to torture her and force her to see you for the honorable man and lord you really are.'

It provided little comfort, but Gendry trusted Bran & Sansa. Along with filling in the gaps of Arya's history, the Starks were generous with their time educating Gendry on how to be a lord. Sansa made him fancy new clothes. Bran and the Maester were teaching him how to read and write. He was also helping Bran focus on history of Storm's End to help him when he got there. If Gendry was going to be Lord of Storm's End, he would need some history so he wouldn't be going to Storm's End blind.

Gendry was falling in love with all the Starks. Arya was right. He should have come to Winterfell a long, long time ago.

~~~ooooooo~~~

The Hound was horrified. Arya was surprised by his reaction.

'You mean to tell me that you rejected the poor fool?' he said in astonishment. 'He waited until he had something to offer you and you rejected his marriage proposal?'

Arya was frustrated that Sandor saw it that way. 'I can't be a Lady of any manor!' She practically whined. 'I never was a Lady!'

The Hound scoffed and took another bite of jerky. 'And he was never a Lord.' He shook his head. 'I've never seen two people who were meant to be together more than you and that twat Gendry.'

Arya scowled at The Hound. 'Gendry's not a twat,' she said so automatically in defense of him it may Sandor smile. 'And I'm not a Lady,' she mumbled, trying to convince herself more than making a statement.

'You keep telling yourself that,' Sandor derided. 'But you're a fool.'

Arya couldn't argue. She just huffed like a spoiled child. The memory of the aftermath of Gendry's lovemaking just kept coming up in her mind as they rode towards King's Landing. She was confused that their coupling could change the way she thought about herself so profoundly. Arya had to switch gears and think about Cersi and how she was going to kill that woman. It was all she had to cling to that made sense to her anymore.

~~~ooooooo~~~

Ser Davos sent a raven to Gendry to follow the fight and help with the weapons and armor if the needed them. He was a lord now, and he needed to lead the smiths for armor and the horse farriers.

Gendry left with a contingency of northerners for King's Landing about two weeks later. He got to King's Landing the day the dragon lay waste to the city.

~~~ooooooo~~~


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

~~~ooooooo~~~

'You don't want to end up like me,' Sandor pleaded with Arya. His big hand cupping her whole head so she really looked at him. 'Go. You'll only end up dying here.'

Arya's face melted to a girl's innocent face. She finally understood.

She was a warrior for good.

She was a warrior for love.

'Sandor,' Arya watched her guardian leave and with all the love in her heart she said, 'Thank you.'

~~~ooooooo~~~

After witnessing the devastation, all Gendry could think about was finding Arya. He gingerly walked his horse through the ruins, smoke, ash and dead bodies. He saw her face in every dead body, in every ashen shell of a human being. His horse was covered with blood and ash. His soul was covered with despair and panic.

Then he saw her.

Arya was standing alone in the street, surrounded by wreckage Deanerys rendered. She was coated in ash and her face was streaked in blood and ash. Her hair was matted to her face with blood. She looked at him but didn't recognize him. She was a ghost behind her eyes. Her whole body was shaking.

There were no words.

She looked at his horse first and then she _saw_ him. She started to pant. Her face slowly crumpled up into a sob and she started crying as she fell into his arms and sobbed into his tunic.

Gendry let her cry. He didn't try to shush her. He looked around at all the devastation and realized she had been in the middle of it. He just held her until enough time passed when they looked at each other. With a handkerchief, he gently wiped away the tears and ash and blood from her face.

_Gendry was here. He found me. Sandor was right. But so much has to happen. _

Gendry lifted her up onto the horse and got on behind her. Without any words between them, they galloped out of the city, away from the smoke and ash. Arya leaned her head and body back against Gendry's strong one as he guided the horse to a place outside the city, close to the North's almost camp, but more private.

~~~ooooooo~~~

There was a stream and trees surrounding them outside the walls of the city. It was far enough away from the smoke and ash. It was a place Gendry went as a kid to swim. He knew there was a well there so he could clean Arya up.

They stopped the horse in a shady green spot far enough away to see the devastation, but not too far away. Gendry got some water for her to drink and to wet his handkerchief more to clean her up.

Arya sat on a rock in the shade of a tree and let Gendry gently clean her face and took care of her while she gathered herself together. Gendry sat next to her without speaking. He gently put his arm around her shoulder. She leaned up against him and just tried to breathe. Arya closed her eyes. Her breathing returned to normal. She had cleared her head enough to see the next step.

Quietly, in his arms, Arya said, 'I have to warn Jon.'

'Warn Jon of what?' Gendry whispered.

Arya looked up at Gendry with despair, 'Deanerys will destroy him and all of us for the Iron Throne.'

Gendry knew enough to not argue with her at this moment. 'He's gone to the Red Keep with Davos.' He looked at the city from where they were and smirked, 'The good thing about growing up here is that I know how to get to the gates of the Red Keep quickly, come on.'

He got her on the horse and they galloped away towards the Red Keep. Even through the rubble and devastation, Gendry could navigate pretty quickly up to the castle grounds. Gendry dropped her off a couple of blocks away from the Dothrake, who were first heard rather than seen. He knew where to keep hidden. He kissed her and said, 'I'm waiting here. Come back to me after you've warned Jon.'

Arya had a clearer head. She wasn't alone anymore. She was with Gendry. When she was with Gendry, like all those years ago, they looked after each other. 'I will come back here.'

She started to walk away and turn the corner, but stopped and turned back and looked at him. 'I love you Gendry,' she said in her matter of fact way. 'I love you with all my heart.'

Gendry smiled and petted his horse and didn't say anything. He was afraid to say anything. He just nodded and watched her leave.

Arya turned and disappeared around the corner to save her brother.

~~~ooooooo~~~

Arya never did return to that spot. Chaos broke out after Deanerys was discovered missing - as was her dragon. Then Jon Snow confessed killing her and the dragon flew away with the queen in his claws.

Davos and the Northerners surrounded King's Landing as they had always planned as the Dothrake and the Unsullied became the defacto rulers of the devastated city. Slowly being starved out. The only choices were war or parlay.

The Unsullied & Dothrake wisely chose parlay. All the Houses came to the Dragon pit. It was a much different group of people this time.

Gendry stayed with the Northerners but went to Storm's End for a week to gather supplies and get a lay of the land. Storm's End was magnificent. The castle was on a bluff overlooking the sea, but there was another taller bluff inland. This is where the clouds gathered and stopped. So one could see the stormed brewing at the bluff beyond the castle, but the clouds rarely came over that cliff. It was why it was called "storm's end".

The people were grateful to have a new Lord, but knew he had to get back to King's Landing for the parlay. Gossip was rampant in the Storm's End villages…

Gendry was confused and hurt and angry and hopeful and just tired of it all. He was part of the parlay. He hadn't seen Arya since Deanerys lay waste to the city. He hadn't seen Arya since she said she loved him.

He dressed in the finest leathers Sansa made for him. The tunic was black. It matched his hair and made his blue eyes look like crisps ice chards. Davos said he looked very handsome for his first outing as an official Lord of Storm's End.

Gendry merely scoffed. He didn't feel like a Lord. He just wanted to see Arya. And he did not want to see Arya.

But this was deadly work ahead of them. He was confused about his place. He was elevated to Lord by the Queen that Jon Snow killed. Deanerys killed a whole city. Gendry was loyal to Jon Snow. He would give up his Lordship in a heartbeat to save Jon Snow.

Gendry walked into the dragon pit with Davos. Arya was already there, sitting with her brother and sister.

They just looked at each other as Gendry approached. Arya did not smile. She just looked at him with that flat look of hers. All he could to do was bow.

Gendry appeared confused. _She said she loved me. What am I supposed to do?_

Gendry is a man of honor and greeted everyone as Davos did – with a bow and good morning in general to all. He sat next to Davos, not knowing where to sit. His palms were sweating, so he just laid them on his knees and looked straight ahead.

Sansa got up and approached him. 'You look very handsome, my Lord,' she said standing in front of him.

Gendry awkwardly stood up and bowed to her. 'Thank you, milady; I couldn't have come here in this finery without your talents with a needle and thread.'

Sansa pulled on an imaginary thread and straightened his sleeve as she inspected her handiwork. She smiles and whispered to him, 'Watch. This is going to drive Arya absolutely mad.' She then went and greeted Ser Robin and Lord Royce of the Vale where they introduced her to the new prince of Dorne.

With Sansa's guidance and graceful social airs, each of the older Lords approached Gendry with an invitation to meet their daughter or niece or granddaughter in the very near future. Gendry was non-committal, steeling glances over at Arya who looked straight ahead. Sansa encouraged it with comments with the older Lords, leaving Gendry to only smile and nod.

Arya sat next to Brandon and fumed. Brandon was trying to meditate, but sighed heavily and looked at his big sister. 'Why do you fight it, Arya?'

She looked at Bran with confusion and contempt. 'Fight what?'

'The love you feel for Gendry?'

'Shut up, will you?!' she whisper-yelled at her little brother, glancing over at Gendry to see if he heard his name. Thankfully, he was still surrounded by other lords.

'We all know you are not the kind of lady Sansa is,' Bran started, 'but you are the kind of lady Gendry Baratheon needs, Arya.'

Before Arya to argue with him, the Unsullied approached with an unkempt and bedraggled Tyrion Lannister.

If Sansa had Arya's fighting skills, she would have killed Grey Worm on the spot for mistreating Tyrion that way. Even when asking about her "brother" she was fuming about Tyrion appearance.

Tyrion glanced at Sansa and almost blushed. She looked like she was about to jump out of her seat and slit Grey Worm's throat. But then when she looked at him, he thought he saw love. But he must be hallucinating…being imprisoned for many weeks. It gave him a little more confidence on what he was about to propose.

~~~ooooooo~~~

Bran The Broken was King of the Six Kingdoms! Nothing should surprise Gendry at this point of the capability and honor of the Starks. Gendry sat in his chair in the Dragon Pit, voted and then watched everyone leave. He didn't quite want to leave this meeting place.

Sansa asked him to visit their camp, just north of King's Landing before going back to Storm's End. Now that his King was there too, he must make an appearance.

Maybe he'd be lucky and he would not have to see Arya.

Maybe he'd be lucky and he would get to see Arya.

Jon Snow was let free and was going to travel with his family north with the stipulation to keep going to Castle Black and to the Night's Watch. They took over the Red Keep – at least the parts that were still inhabitable.

The Starks and the northerners made sure that the feast for Bran The Broken was shared with the rest of King's Landing's survivors. Only a third of the city survived the Dragon Queen's devastation. The Unsullied and Dothrake were unpopular. They were ready to go back to Essos on the boats provided by the Grey Joys.

The night after the Unsullied and the Dothrake left, King's Landing celebrated with a feast. Everyone came to three different areas inside the Red Keep's famous courtyard, where the Unsullied and Dothrake celebrated the Dragon Queen's killing of the city.

Sansa made sure the northerners and the Dorne and the Grey Joys shared all the food and supplies they could with the survivors of King's Landing. Her command in the background helped brook favor with the survivors and the new Kingdom of the North.

Eventually, Bran The Broken – King Stark was sought after for his ability as a three-eyed raven. Slowly but surely everyone began to see how invaluable his talents were. As long as he remained quiet, without a lot of distractions, he could help as many people as possible.

And then there was Gendry. Jon, Davos, Sansa and Tyrion watched Gendry watch Arya at the feast. He just couldn't help it. He'd watch her and then he would look away and gulp down some more ale.

The conversation at the feast veered to the children left injured and orphaned from the Dragon Queen's devastation. There were many orphans left in King's Landing; too many to fathom. Gendry was of kind heart and said many could come with him to Storm's End. He said this within earshot of Arya.

Arya scoffed. 'You don't know what to do with children!'

Gendry and Sansa, Tyrion, Davos, Bran and Jon looked at her all at the same time. It was the first thing she had said to him since he dropped her off at the Red Keep. Gendry was confounded and snapped right back at her, 'So? I think children need a family.' He gulped and said, 'I can be their family.'

He could have stabbed her in the chest just as easily as said that. Arya gasped and sat back in her chair.

Gendry was having none of it. He wiped his mouth with his napkin, stood up and threw the napkin on his plate. He was done with simpering around and walking on eggshells around her. 'You can come too. It took me a lot longer to realized it than you, but I want you to be my family as well.' He swallowed. 'I know you aren't a "lady" but you are my family.'

In front of everyone they had this out. He paced in front of her and rubbed his shaved head in utter frustration. 'You can do what you will, but I can't be a Lord of anything without you, Arya. I love you without limits and without you being a lady.'

He stopped, turned around and stomped off. Everyone watched him go. He stopped in front of Sansa and said loud enough for Arya to hear, 'I will be at the orphanage tents tomorrow at the noon hour to pick up at least four children of varying ages. If they are siblings, I'll take more. Lady Sansa, if you would be so kind, I could use your help.'

'What are you talking about?' Arya barked, interrupting Sansa and walking towards him. 'No Lady is going to want orphans in her castle! You are ruining your prospects!'

'What prospects?' Gendry retorted looking back at her with irritation.

'All the ladies that will come to meet you from all prospects that the Lords at the Dragon Pit planned for you.' Arya was confounded. 'Your future wife!'

Gendry looked at her like she grew two heads. 'Orphan children need family. I don't care about any lady who doesn't see that!'

'Well you've just lost out to so many prospective wives!' Arya came right up to him. 'I knew you were too stupid to care about these things!'

Gendry was looking right down her nose as infuriated at her as she was at him. 'What do you care? You said you loved me and then I didn't see you again until two days ago!'

They were in their own little world. Tyrion, Sansa, Davos, Bran & Jon all had their mouths open as they watched the Gendry and Arya spectacle. None of them could intervene. They were all mesmerized with the casualness of their arguing. It was like they had been doing it for years.

Arya couldn't let that one go. 'I was trying to find a way to get Jon out of prison! I couldn't go and find you! You were just fine, being a new Lord and all.'

Gendry was exasperated. 'A highborn like you couldn't even send me a raven?' He scoffed, 'Just use me for what you need and then leave me. That's all you highborn _ladies_ are good for.'

He knew how to press her button and he pressed it hard. Arya put her had on the hilt of her dagger and practically screamed at him, 'I am NOT A LADY!'

Their audience started to laugh. Gendry and Arya were breathing on each other's faces with anger, frustration and fear.

Jon was the first to sooth the situation. 'Arya,' he said in a calm voice, 'please don't kill our new Lord of Storm's End.'

Arya didn't realize she had almost fully unsheathed her dagger. Gendry stepped back. 'You'd rather kill me than be my wife. Fine.' And Gendry walked away.

His strong hands were in fists. Arya's face melted as she watched him walk away. Jon gently placed his hands on her shoulders. 'You've treated him poorly, Arya,' Jon said quietly.

Arya's defiance dissolved under Jon's hands. 'I know,' she whispered. She turned to her brother (he would always be her brother) and looked up to him beseechingly. 'But I don't want to be a lady of a castle, Jon. I can never be like Sansa. That's not me.'

'Is Gendry asking you to be like Sansa?' Jon queried. 'It seems to me, he loves the warrior you've become.'

Arya turned and looked back at the way Gendry left to see if she could still see him. She could not. 'What have I done?'

~~~ooooooo~~~

**_a/n – please note that my description of Storm's End bluffs are from a photo I saw of Cape Town, South Africa. The clouds in the photo stopped at the bluff. It was beautiful and I always pictured Storm's End as that topography._**


	6. Chapter 6

_a/n - Thank you for taking this little journey with me. Instead of complaining, I got my imagination in gear and wrote what I wanted to happen. It has been a blast writing this. I hope you have enjoyed it. LR._

**Chapter 6**

~~~ooooooo~~~

Sansa's tent was not small, but it was not an elaborate production either. After watching Gendry & Arya argue, Sansa took Tyrion's hand and whispered, 'Please come with me.'

Tyrion was not one to disagree with Sansa Stark. She had turned into a benevolent leader and an exquisite beauty. All the trauma and hardship she had gone through and turned her into an amazing woman with grace and compassion and a keen sense of planning and leadership.

He stopped in front of her tent when she walked in. 'Lady Sansa, I – ' he stammered and looked up at her.

'Lord Tyrion,' she barely whispered – she was so nervous her mouth was dry – she swallowed and continued in a small voice, 'I told you your watch has ended.'

Sansa quickly moved into her richly appointed tent that had only one lamp lit.

Tyrion looked around and then slowly followed her into the tent. He looked at Sansa sitting on the bed in the low light. She looked over to him and smiled, unafraid, but nervous.

Tyrion smiled and walked over to her and stood in front of her. 'You don't have to do this.'

'I know,' she whispered, but looked him straight in the eye. 'I never thought I would ever want the touch of man ever again after Ramsey.' She breathed and took his hands and kissed them. 'But ever since the Long Night, I can't get you out of my head.'

Tyrion scoffed. 'That's crazy.'

Sansa was all seriousness as she put her hands on his cheeks. 'No, it's not. You are the kindest, smartest man I know. I want to talk to you all the time. I want to be with you all the time. And,' her finger traced the scar across his face, 'I think about kissing you,' she breathed and then placed her lips tenderly to his, 'all the time.'

Tyrion looked into her eyes and almost cried. He hadn't been with a woman since he'd married her. He kissed her passionately for the first time. Sansa returned his kiss with awkward and stilting nervous passion. And she really wanted to do this.

'I – I don't know how,' she started.

Tyrion put a finger on her lips. 'We're going to take this slow and discover what you can and want to do.' They lay down on the bed fully clothed. He smiled and laughed with his impish ways said, 'this is supposed to be fun and you got a raw deal. So let's just kiss a while, alright?'

Sansa sighed a happy sigh. 'Yes. Let's!'

Sansa and Tyrion talked and kissed and slept and kissed some more and talked some more until dawn. They kept their clothes on and Sansa felt safe.

Every night, Tyrion came to Sansa's tent. They were becoming familiar with each other. They enjoyed kissing each other. Tyrion was patient and kind and tender. Sansa discovered she liked his touch. Sansa felt safe. And that made her cry.

There were some late nights after all the kissing where Tyrion just held Sansa as she sobbed. He didn't try to quiet her crying, he just held her head to his chest and let the trauma cry itself out of her body. Sansa felt safe. It reinforced their love and trust of each other. Sometimes, Tyrion shed some tears too.

It was a quiet love. Neither of them was quite use to it. And neither wanted to give it up.

~~~ooooooo~~~

Gendry was waiting for Sansa and they went to the orphanage tents. Sansa had made sure that there was always enough food for the children of King's Landing, so there was always quite a crowd there.

Tyrion decided to tag along as well. There were so many children. It was hard to understand just how devastating the Dragon Queen's destructiveness was.

Gendry so wanted to do this with Arya. He wanted to start his family with her. His heart felt like an empty tin. But he had to persevere and try to help these children.

As Tyrion, Sansa and Gendry went through the infirmary where all the injured small children were, Sansa quietly grabbed Gendry's arm and whispered, 'don't look now, but Arya is in the corner with the babies.'

Gendry slowing looked over to the corner where there were some cribs and there was Arya in profile, in a rocking chair, with a baby in her arms, slowing rocking the baby to sleep.

At the same time a curious little boy that couldn't have been more that 3 years old clung to Gendry's leg. He looked down and saw the horrible burns on the boy's left arm and leg and neck. It reminded him of the Hound. Gendry picked the boy up gingerly. 'What's your name?'

'Yorren,' the boy said.

Gendry gulped. He walked over to where Arya was. 'My name is Gendry. I want to introduce you to my friend Arya.'

Arya heard his voice and saw Gendry with the 3-year-old burned boy. 'Arya,' Gendry started, 'this is my new friend, Yorren.'

Arya quickly looked at Gendry and then back at the boy with a smile that could melt the snow. 'Yorren?' She said with such love. 'Gendry and I used to know a wonderful man named Yorren.'

'Who is that?' Yorren asked looking at the baby and pointing.

'We don't know,' Arya said and glanced up at Gendry. 'But I think we'll take her home.'

Gendry smiled at Arya and quietly said, 'and I'll think we'll take you home with us too, if that's alright with you.'

Yorren tucked his head on Gendry's shoulder and nodded silently and stuck his thumb in his mouth and promptly fell asleep in Gendry's arms.

Arya and Gendry walked out of the infirmary side by side with the toddler and baby in their arms. They both knew they had a lot to discuss, but with the children in their arms, they decided to just walk back to the camp together; both dreaming of their family. Dreaming of their Winterfell.

Sansa, in all of her wisdom, made sure there was a nursery tent next to Gendry's equipped with a nurse maid by evening's end.

The baby and toddler were fed and put to bed. Gendry and Arya left the nursery tent together and quietly walked towards the woods together. Arya sat on a felled log and looked over at the tent village as the sun was setting. Gendry sat next to her and picked at the grass nervously.

Gendry was bursting, but was determined not to say a thing. He needed Arya to begin this conversation.

Quietly, she started, 'What do you want to name the baby?'

Gendry smiled and chuckled ironically. 'Arya, I don't know many woman, so I don't know many woman's names. But I'd like to think we could name her after your mother or Jon Snow's real mother.'

Arya slid close to Gendry and tucked her arm in his. 'I'd like to name her Lyanna for Jon.'

'Then that's settled.' Gendry paused and then continued, 'I'd like to go back there and get two more children that are older, like our age when we were sold to the Night's Watch.'

Arya was fascinated with his mind. 'Why?'

Gendry took her hand and looked at her in earnest. 'I'd like to give two children a chance that we never had to be kids - to be family. To be safe and to grow up without a care in the world.' He looked out to the landscape and she could see his vision. 'I finally have something to offer and I want to give it.'

'Oh Gendry,' she sighed and gently laid her head on his shoulder.

They didn't talk about what they needed to talk about, like their future, if they were getting married, if they were settling down. If Arya was going to become the Lady of Storm's End. They just watched the sunset and dreamed of their new family.

~~~ooooooo~~~

In the light of setting sun, at the first Godswood tree the caravan of Northerners found between King's Landing and Storm's End, Sansa Stark made them stop and set up camp. It wasn't far from King's Landing and Arya started to complain that they could travel farther. Sansa was having none of it and told her that Arya's baby needed attention.

Arya flew to Lyanna's wagon and found that she was just fine. It was rouse. In the wagon lay a beautiful wedding dress. Well, it wasn't really a dress. It was a lace over-dress that was cropped in the front so that the white leather pants showed. It had room for her Needle and dagger.

Arya looked back and Sansa stood behind Arya and said, 'you and Gendry should marry for the sake of the children, Arya.' She looked at her sister with all the haughtiness a queen could give as Arya started to protest. Sansa put her hand on Arya's shoulder and continued, 'Gendry can't do this without you, Arya. Whether or not you are a lady. He needs you. And believe it or not, you need him.'

Arya couldn't deny it. She and Gendry were great with the baby and Yorren. They found a bewildered thirteen year-old boy, Kristoff, and his seven-year-old sister, Yvonne, who were devastated by the death of their parents. Kristoff, the boy told them their parents were trying to protect them from the fire-breathing dragon.

The Baratheon instant family was interesting. They all focused on the little ones. But this evening was for Gendry and Arya.

Sansa created the same atmosphere as her wedding to Ramsey so she could wipe away that memory with a better one. Her evenings with Tyrion were getting more intimate and bold. He even suggested that she do this like that wedding to eradicate the memory of Ramsey as much as she could.

Gendry was ready. He was dressing in his finest black leathers that he wore to the dragon pit. He nervously looked at the face on the Godswood tree and said a prayer to the Seven Gods that this wedding takes place. He still wanted to protect his heart. But he received a raven from King Bran this morning that simply said _She's ready for you._

Arya was dressed in lace. Her neck and chest was exposed in a modest "v" shape. Her cleavage showed. Sansa made a fuss so her hair was bit more flowing and loose, but still up and out of her face. And she had on leather pants and her dagger and Needle. Arya couldn't put up much of a stink because little Yvonne was so excited seeing Arya get so much attention. Sansa made sure Yvonne had a little lace dress & pants suit like Arya in a pale shade of pink. Yvonne got her hair put up in a flattering way as well. Arya gave an evil eye to Sansa as they both smiled at Yvonne's pure joy in the event.

'You are so pwetty,' Yvonne said in awe. Arya hugged her new daughter and smiled as she looked in the mirror. Arya didn't recognize herself.

Arya was breathtaking.

Arya took a deep breath and took Jon's arm as he walked her towards the Godswood tree and her future husband. Gendry smiled like he had just seen a flower for the first time. His heart nearly burst.

Arya could barely breathe. There was a voice in her head shouting 'This isn't me! This isn't me!' and then she looked at Gendry and their new family, Kristof, Yvonne, Yorren and baby Lyanna.

Suddenly the voice disappeared.

This was her family. This was her new adventure. These were the people she was here to protect, love and help. The voice of defiance disappeared. She looked at Gendry in front of the Godswood face and caught a glimpse of her future – teaching the children of Storm's End water dancing and swordplay. She could see herself as Gendry's equal – as he wanted it.

Arya smiled a real smile as she looked up at Gendry when the maester said the wedding words. They held hands and wrapped the ribbon around their hands and repeated the sacred words. They kissed.

The celebration was quieter but still a celebration. They knew they had to travel to Storm's End the next day. But no longer were they in separate tents. No longer were they separated.

They were family.

_Fin_


End file.
